The Three Month Rule, an ADHD-Friendly Way to Stick With Your 2026 Goals
You don’t need a full-year plan. You just need a starting point.
If you’ve ever set a big goal and then completely forgotten about it by February, you’re not alone.
For ADHD brains, long timelines feel abstract. Motivation flickers. And all-or-nothing thinking creeps in fast. But what if your goals didn’t have to stretch across 12 months to count?
Enter: The Three Month Rule, a planning system that works with your brain, not against it.
This approach helps you build momentum, feel progress sooner, and make room for your natural shifts in energy and focus.
It’s not a downgrade. It’s a smarter way to work.
Why Traditional Goals Don’t Stick
Most goal setting advice assumes that once you decide what you want, you’ll simply work toward it step by step over time.
But ADHD doesn’t play that way.
Here’s what typically happens:
You set a huge goal in January with the best intentions
You miss one week and feel like you’ve failed already
You wait until the “next fresh start” (spoiler: it never feels fresh enough)
Your brain craves urgency, clarity, and a sense of completion.
A 12-month timeline gives you none of those things. It’s like trying to follow a map where the destination is 40 pages away, and the pages keep falling out.
Three months, though? That your brain can hold.
What Is the Three Month Rule?
It’s simple: you focus on one goal at a time, for three months at a time.
Not forever. Not perfectly. Just for the next chunk of your life.
This time frame gives you:
Enough time to see real progress
A finish line your brain can actually visualise
Built-in permission to pivot after three months
And the best part? It takes the pressure off doing everything at once.
Here's how it works
| Old Way | 3 Month Rule |
|---|---|
| Write my book this year | Get through the first 3 chapters this term |
| Get better with money | Track expenses weekly for 3 months |
| Be more organised | Set up a Sunday reset habit |
| Be consistent on social media | Try 6 weeks of scheduled posts |
Try These 3 Month Prompts
| Area of Life | Example Focus Goal | Simple Weekly Action |
|---|---|---|
| Home | Declutter one space | Tidy one drawer per weekend |
| Work | Streamline admin | Use a Monday checklist |
| Money | Feel less out of control | Do a 5 minute budget review |
| Health | Move more | 3 short walks per week |
Why This Works for ADHD Brains
When a goal is smaller and time-limited, your brain gets:
Faster rewards
A reason to focus now
Less mental clutter
And if it’s not working? You only have to stick with it for three months, not the rest of your life.
That removes the fear of choosing the “wrong” goal.
You get to experiment, learn, and move on. No shame required.
What to Try Next
You don’t have to map out your entire year right now.
Just pick one area of life that’s been feeling messy or frustrating. Choose a focus for the next three months. Then break it into one small weekly action.
That’s it.
Want help choosing your next three-month focus?
Our 2026 Goal Planning Sessions are designed to help ADHD brains plan without pressure.
A 1:1 session with one of our ADHD-friendly VAs
Help breaking down your goals into clear, realistic steps
Support choosing what to prioritise, and what to let go of
A plan that’s flexible, not rigid
Accountability that feels like kindness, not shame
If you’re ready to stop guessing and start with a plan that actually fits your brain, you can book your 2026 Goals & Planning Session today and take the first small step forward.